Believe it or not, this book deals a great deal with polygamy. Much of the current evidence for the early practice of polygamy in Mormonism was ironically caused by Joseph Smith's son who, like his mother Emma, abhored the practice. While the wives had largely kept their silence regarding the practice previous to RLDS proselyting efforts in Utah, RLDS stories that Brigham Young created Mormon polygamy caused Utah LDS to become more public in their histories about pre-Brigham Young era Mormon polygamy. An interesting book outside of the polygamy aspects too.

"I dislike Mormon history that systematically censors out anything problematic, tragic, or reflecting human fallibility (i.e., real humanity) in church members or culture. This kind of history is, to me, dishonest, and the opposite of 'faith-promoting.' (Authentic faith is never dependent on dishonesty or covering up the balanced truth.) Furthermore, this kind of history is often insipid and sentimental."

"If it hadn't have been for polygamy, I suspect ,... well, I for one wouldn't have been here... [I can say the same] ... I know that it is impossible for historians to tell what causes what, always ... but the whole polygamist hassle helped to make Mormonism what it is. We can thank the Lord that it is gone, though it will never completely disappear. And there are plenty of people in this room who are kind of looking forward to polygamy in the hereafter. (laughter) It is hard to tell just exactly what the church teaches on that. But the church would never have been what it is today with[out] polygamy. We wouldn't have had our great martyrs and so on. And polygamy probably lead to Joseph Smith's assassination. And if I may hazard an historical observation. And I wouldn't want to be completely misunderstood. I think it was a fortunate thing for the church historically that Joseph Smith died when he did. Because the church was beginning to fall apart. It seems like it was beginning to go to pieces and something needed to be done to pull things together. And Brigham Young is the one who pulled things together."

Although polygamy was illegal in Canada and Mexico, too, colonies of polygamists were set up in these countries to possibly continue the practice after it no longer became feasible in the United States. The book deals with many other issues besides polygamy.

Plural wives were among the first to be admitted into the new temple rituals. Perhaps one of the main reasons for the new temple ordinance's creation was to conceal the covert practice of polygamy and keep those who entered the practice silent.

"In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith vividly documents the faith, hardship and heroism that were the focus this year of the Mormon Church's successfully orchestrated sesquicentennial celebration.
But in this first comprehensive examination of the lives of the women Smith married and widowed, author Todd Compton also tracks the isolation and heartbreak that were a significant part of the Mormon female experience with polygamy."